SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 16: Canterbury Bulldogs NRL General Manager of Football Phil Gould speaks to the media at Belmore Sports Ground on May 16, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. Gould spoke to the media as he left the ground after the announcement this morning that Trent Barrett had quit the role of Bulldogs head coach. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? Well, Phil Gould wouldn't give them the opportunity to do so.

The most powerful man at Canterbury, 'Gus' Gould was adamant he wouldn't be made to look a fool twice in one season by the same incident.

Gould was left with egg on his face when, despite denials, a leaked image from Canterbury Leagues CCTV footage of Gould and then-coach Trent Barrett with a Bulldogs-polo-wearing Viliame Kikau hit social media earlier in the year.

After being slammed for the incident, Gould went to great lengths to make sure that the public wouldn't be tipped off twice from the same source.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Gus turned off CCTV cameras at the venue whenever recently-announced head coach Cameron Ciraldo entered the building in a bid to preserve conversations, instead of sending rugby league fans into a frenzy.

Gould has been tightlipped on the WWOS program 100% Footy, refusing to speculate in a bid to make Ciraldo calmer through the decision making process, a move that has worked in his favour after the Penrith assistant-coach inked a five-year deal with the Belmore-based club.

The signature is massive not just for the club itself, but for the individuals within it, the new coach expected to play a big part in the attempted retention of Matt Burton, who will be free to talk to rival clubs from November 1st.